Syndicate

With no record to speak of, N J Esq will enter Friday night’s New Jersey Juvenile Stakes as a wildcard entrant for owner Dennis Drazin, Esq. But what she lacks in experience she hopes to make up for in fight as she faces a full field of rivals in the six furlong contest for New Jersey breds.

“I’ve been trying to get her to a race and the timing just didn’t work to run in a maiden race and then the stakes,” said Drazin, who owns and bred N J Esq. “I could have run her in a maiden race and then missed the stakes, but she’s been training really well that I thought she deserved a shot in here.”

N J Esq sports a quartet of works, all going four furlongs down at Monmouth Park. She is trained by Jason Servis, currently the leading trainer at the Meadowlands. She will have the services of former top New Jersey rider Jose Lezcano.

From the Holy Bull mare Chantel D, N J Esq was named after a newspaper of the same name that Drazin formerly published. N J Esq, the newspaper, was the successor of N J Lawyer, which had been published in New Jersey for years. N J Esq, the horse, is by Mr. Nugget, who was by one of the most prolific sires in modern times, Mr. Prospector. Mr. Nugget died earlier this year.

In addition to Chantel D, Drazin owns four broodmares in New Jersey. He’s enjoyed terrific success with his horses, including a victory in the Sorority Stakes with Unky and Ally and a win in the Oceanport with Tempest Fugit. He was named the 2001 recipient of the Virgil “Buddy” Raines Distinguished Achievement Award for his contribution to Thoroughbred racing in the Garden State.

The field for the $60,000 New Jersey Juvenile, from the rail out, with rider assignments, is: